Truck.



No. 819,053. PATENTED MAY l, 1906.

J. F. FIRESTONE.

TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED JUNI: 19, 1905.

WITNESSES: 5 ,Q INVENTOR ,4' @auf @n-717, 5 Jas-.75 'ffem 131;? 5. ATTORNEYS UNlTED STATES PFJNT OFFIOFi.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented may 1, 1906.

Application filed June 19,1905. Serial No. 265,936.

T @ZZ whom, may con/cern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH F. FIRESTONE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and uset'ul Improvements in Trucks, of which the l'ollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in trucks, and more particularly to a truck or movable rack for handling running-gears of vehicles.

The object of the invention,more especially, is to provide a truck or movable rack arranged with a number of longitudinal openings so shaped as to receive the axle ends ot a mimber ot' vehicle running-gears and support the same in vertical position.

Another Vfeature resides in the provision of a device whereby a number of running-gears are so supported that they may be painted, Alinislied, dried, and moved `from place to place without being handled by the painter or workman.

Finally, the object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described that will be strong, durable, and ellicient and one which will be simple and inexpensive to construct.

W'ith the above and other objects in view the invention consists of the novel details of construction and operation, a preferable embodiment oi which is described in the speciiication and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved truck, showing a running-gear supported thereon. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken 'across the central portion of the truck and showing one of the center wheels in elevation, and Fig. 3 is a partial transverse sectional view showing one of the axle ends of the running-gear in position between the supporting-rails.

ln the drawings the numeral 1 designates the truck-platform or rack proper, which is composed ot a number of longitudinal rails or strips '2, inclined on both sides, so as to taper upwardly, and spaced apart by downwardly-inelined and tapering blocks 3. By this arrangement the slots or spaces provided between the rails 2 are of such shape as to readily and snugly receive the axle ends, and thus support the running-gears with considerable rigidity, thereby mantaining them in an upright position and preventnig them from swaying or striking against each other. The blocks 3 are generally arranged at each end of the truck and also intermediate the ends, as clearly shown in Fig. l, and are held in position by suitable bolts 4, which pass therethrough and also passing through the rails 2 securely fasten the parts together. At each end of the truck 1 and in the central portion thereo'l' the rails 2 and blocks 3 are cut away and suitable truck-wheels 5 Vmounted in the openings thus provided. At each side of the central portion ol the truck the rails '2 are also broken or cut away and wheels G like the wheels 5 provided. In this way the truck is supported on the wheels 5 and 6 and may be readily moved from place to place. For the purpose of handling the truck I provide at one end over one of the wheels 5 an ordinary bail-handle 7, secured to the truck on either side ol the said wheels. The wheels 5 and G are ol such height and so mounted in the truck l as to support the same a slight distance above the ground to avoid the ends oi' the axles, which sometimes project below the truck or rack, from coming in contact with the ground or floor.

It is a well-known `fact that in the manufacture ot' running-gears after the parts have been constructed and put together considerable painting and finishing is necessary and more or less handling of the running-gears is required, and when one or more rnnnii'iggears have been 'freshly painted it is impossible to move the same without rubbing oil' the paint, and it has generally been the custom to allow them to remain in one position until dry. By employing my truck a number of running-gears may be assembled thereon by inserting the ends of the axles on one side o'l the gears in the spaces or openings between the rails. The gears thus supported may be readily painted and finished, and if desirable the truck on which they are disposed may be moved lfrom place to place. It will also be apparent that should it be desirable to enamel the gears or run them into a drying-room the truck may be readily wheeled about without the necessity ot' the workmen handling the gears. The truck also a'llords an excellent device Al'or transporting the running-gears from one building to another and allowing a IOO single Workman to move several runningspaces for the reception of the ends of the Io gears With comparatively little labor. axles of the running-gears.

Having noW fully desori bed my invention, In testimony whereof I aHX my signature What I claim7 and desire to secure by Letters in presence of two Witnesses.

Patent, is y A Wheeled truck or rack for supporting JOSEPH F' FIRESTONE running-gears comprising a plurality of ta- Witnesses: pered rails assembled together in fixed rela- A. L. PHELPs, tion so as to provide tapering openings or M. B. SOHLEY. 

